Safety device for printing and addressing machines



Deco 8,

J. S. DUNCAN SAFETY DEVICE FOR PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINES Filed May 24, 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 8, 1925- J. s. DUNCAN sAFEu-vsvmr: FOR PRINTING AND ADDRssING MACHINES Fi1ed May 24, 1920 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. s, 1925. l 1,564,221

J. S. DUNCAN SAFETY DEVICE FOR PRINTING AND ADDRESYSING MACHINES Filed May 24. 1920 6 Sheets-Shet 5 Dec. 8, 1925- 1,564,221

J.s.DUNcAN SAFETY DEVICE FOR PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINES FiledMay 24, 1920 e sheets-sheet 4 6 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 J. S. DUNCAN SAFETYDEVICE FOR PRINTING AND ADDRESSING MACHINES Filed May 24, 1920 Dec. 8 1925.

Deco 8 J. S. DUNCAN SAFETY- DEVIGE FOR PRINTING-AND ADDRESSING MACHINES Patenten@ e, 192s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH S.

DUNCAN, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ADDBESSOGRAPH COMPANY,

0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0Fv ILLINOIS.

SAFETY DIEv'ICIE.v FOR PRINTING AND ADDRES-SING MACHINES.

,Application tiled Hay 24, 1820. Serial- No. 888,816.

,No. 123,233- led October 2, 1916, for a ma? chine for printing, in successive operations, from a single body form and successively changing address forms to produce individually addressed letters having the same subject-matter. In that machine there is a form for the body of the letter which is secured in place on the bed and changeable address forms which are fed one at a time tol printing position in proper relation to the body form. rlhe addressforms are provided on devices which are preferably arranged in accordance with a card index system and placed inthe machine in the form of a stack from the bottom of which they are fed oneat a time to printing position. The paper sheetsA to be printed are fed manually or mechanically to the machine-a sheet at/atimewfor each printingioperation and an ink ribbon is arranged across the printing forms and is fed in some approved manner. The sheet is arran ed in printing position above the ribbon am? a platen roller travels over the sheet and causes an imn pression to be made .thereon from the form through the ribbon. Inoperating the machine in accordance with existin systems now Well established for using a dress devices in addressing machines .'it is customary to place in the magazine of the machine the entire contents of adrawer holding the address devices systematically arranged even though it is not desired that these devices should print.l For example, the addressesfor a subscription list-may be placed on suitable devices and arranged alphabetically in drawers according torsome predetermined system with the expirations indicated by disposing index tabs in roper position along the upper edge of the evices. Various means have been proposed and some of them have been used for automatically selecting the particular devices for the printing operations and for skipping the other printing devices of the stack as they every one of are fed Athro-ugh the-machine. In this connection reference may be made to my Patents No. 1,082,505 dated December 30, 1913, and No. 1,209,414 dated December 19, 1916.

All or most of the operations of the ma? chine are automatic for rapid operation and it is necessary to provide safety means to hold the platen out ofy operative position until a sheet has been disposed in printing position, so that the platen vvillI not en. gage the rilibon in event of any yfailure in the sheet feeding operation; and it is also necessary to temporarily halt the printing device feeding operation so that'a device will not ass through the machine unprinted w ien the platen is held' out of printing osition because of a failure in the sheet ceding operation.; Andit is lalso important to prevent sheets from to the machine in those cycles of operations wherein printin devices are skipped inthe automatic selective system 'and pass through the machine unprinted.

The object of thepresent invention is v primarily to provide automatically operated safety means for preventing the platen roller from o erating in printing position in the event't atfor any reason a sheetto be printed is not disposed in the sheet feeding operation in rinting position Vin the machine, and at t e same time to control the printing device feed so that a device which it is unprinted through printing position because of the failure of the 'sheet feeding operation.

A further object of( the invention 1s to prevent thefeeding of a sheet to printing position in the event of reason of the printing device feed to dlspose a printing device properly in prlnting position.

And a further object of` the invention 1s to prevent the feeding of' sheets to printing position in those operations of the machine wherein printing devices are ski ped andV pass unprinted through the machine in accordance Witha selective s stem and auto-l matically operated means or carrying the same into effect.

In a broad sense the invention seeks to provide simple and automatically operated means for correlating the different opera# tions of the machine in the same respect thatv the different groups of mechanism are correbeing fed desired to print will not pass the failure for an.v

lated so that one operation will depend upon the others and so that `a failure of the operation of one group of mechanism will not disorganize the systematic operation of the machine. For example, in a selected embodiment of the invention a printin device is 4sheet has been positioned to receive the impression, and to prevent a printing device passing through the machine unprintedbecause the platen rollerskips a printing operation; and also to control the sheet feed by reference to the feeding of those printing devices from which impressions are to be taken..

The invention has other objects in view which will be fully pointed out hereinafter .in the detail description of the invention in Athe 'selected embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- F ig.I 1 is apla-n view showing my invention embodied in a printingand addressing machine and as much of the machine as is necessary for understanding the construction and operation of the invention;

Fig. 1a is a fragmentary elevation of details of the safety means.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine, partly in section and partly broken away to better illustrate certain parts;

Fig. 3 is an. enlarged sectional elevation on val line indicated generally by the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 llines 4 4, 5-5 and 6-'6 respectively `of ig: 2; i Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation partly in section showing a fragmentary portion of the machine;

Fig. 8is a sectional view of one of the sheet grippers.

Referring to the drawings and particularly t'o Fig. 2, 9 is the machine frame, 10 is the bed, 11 is the form for the body of the letter, 12 is the anvil or auxiliary bed to receive and support the rinting device 'in proper relation to the hotly `form 11 fo-r making a printing' impression throu li an ink ribbon 13 upon al sheet 14 which is fed to the machine manually or mechanically as desired. The address .or changeable printing deyices 15 are arranged in a stack in a magazinel 16 and these devices are fed one at a time from the bottom of the stack to printing position on the anvil 12, and after the printing operation is completed they may be disposed ofin any suitable manner, for example as set forth in my application hereinbefore referred to. A reciprocating carchine.

are sectional views on the' rier frame or slide 17 is provided with one or more dogs or fingers '17 to feed the address printing device one at a time from the stackrto printing position, this carrier slide being opera-ted by a link 18 pivoted at one u' end of the carrier slide and at its other end to a lever arm 19 of the rocker 2O which is pivotally mounted on the shaft 21. A link 22 is pivotally connected at one end tol the rocker 23 ywhich is pivotally mounted on shaft 21 and is operated Aby suitable power devices to impart an oscillating movement to the rocker and thereby cause the carrier slide to reciprocate and feed the address printing devices one at a timea to printing position. In the-drawings the power devices comprise a toothed segment 24 Vwhich is operated from a suitable source of power to impart reciprocating movement to the link 22. A segment gea-r 24 is operated by the segment 24 and a-n arm 24 rigid with the segment gea-r 24 is pivotally connected to the link 22 so that as arm 24 swings iu an arc the link 22 is reciprocated.

A carriage 25 carrying a platen roller 26 is adapted to be reciprocated back and forth above printing position in suitable guides 27, 27 (Fig. 4) on the frame of the ma- The platen roller (Figs. 4 6) is rotatably mounted in links 28 which are pivotally supported by lugs 28 depending from the platen carriage 25. The platen is pro- -vided at its ends with grooved anti-friction rollers 29 and flanged rollers 30 mounted on the shaft 31V are arranged to engage the grooved rollers on the mally heldin elevated 32 (Figv). Links 33 with the ends of shaft mounted onarms 34 carried by and forming part of the rocker 35. These arms are also pivotally engaged with pivot pins 35 .mounted in the carriage frame 25. This frame is supported on eariying rollers 36 which are mounted on the pivot pins 35 and travel on the-lower guide 27. Dogs 38 and '39 are mounted on the rocker 35 at the left and atC the right ends thereof, respectively, viewing F igaQ In Fig. l the platen carriage is shown in what rest, adjacent to the sheet feed table which is designated generally 40 and is intended to indicate any sort of table or support or other auxiliary part to facilitate the automatic or manual feeding of paper sheets to the machine. The carriage is provided with a handle 25 operation thereof and in its forward moveplaten which is nor,- position by the spring are pivotally engaged ment across printing position from the posi- 1 tion shown in Fig. l an address printing device is fed forward from the magazine into printing position 31 and are pivotally Y may be called its initial position, at

to facilitate the which is stretched across the printing forms and is shown only in Fig. 2). Durmg this forward movement of the carriage the platen is held elevated out of operative position so that it will not engage the ribbonover which it travwe'ls'. If an address printing device to be printed and a sheet to receive the impressionahave" been properly disposed in printing position the platen will be lowered for the return' movement of the carriage to initial position'scl-that it will operatlvely .engage the sheet. and cause an impression to be made thereon'through `the ribbon. This movement of the platen between operative and inoperative positions is Ffully described in my application aforesaid and need only bey referred to herein suliiciently to indicate the co-operation of the platen with the invention. As the carriage reaches the lifnit of its forward movement ywith the platen in elevated position the dog 38 will engage pin 41 (Fig. l) which causes the rocker 35 to rock and push the rollers 30 forward and .the platen roller down into printing position.

0n the return movement of the carriage dog 39 will engage pinv 42 which returns the rocker shaftgto normal position and restores the platen to elevated position. The engagement of dog 39 with pin 42 on the rein Fig. 4.

turn movement of the carriage effects the operation thus described to elevate the platen out of printing position and as thisl movement takes place the spring 32 operates to throw the parts into the position shown The paper feed comprises a ledge 43 which is rigidly mounted on the platen carriage, and one or more grippers which vare arranged to engage the sheet -upon the upper side of the ledge to carry it into printing position as the carriage moves forward. Means are provided for releasing the grippersat the proper time von the forward movement of the carriage butv they form nopart of the present invention and are not shown. One gripper 44 (Fig. 8) is loosely `mounted on ashaft 45 which alsoealrries fan yarm 46 rigidly mounted on shaft 45 .and

44. The, other gripper 48 1s also provided with a/.recess which forms a housing for ,the spring 47 engaging the gripper rigidly mounted on the shaft 45y andI it isprovided with fingers 48. which yare. adapted tov pass down through slots 43 provided for them in the ledge 43 (Fig. 7l. fastened to Ithe platen carriageand to the shaft 45 to cause the grippers/,t'o make gripping engagement with the sheet on the ledge. ffthere is no sheet in position on the ledge the gripper ngers 48 may pass down through the slots 43 as indicated in broken ilinesin Fig. 6 but the gripper 44 remains on the ledge as shdwn in broken lines in this figure. When a sheet is positioned on the ledge the gripper fingers 48 will remain "frame of the machine.

A spring 49 is on the 'sheetl .as well as the gripper and the two grippers will hold/the sheet until yit.\ has been arranged in vprinting position.

Since the gripper 48 must be permitted a greater range of movement than the gripper -44 and as the gripper 48 is rigid on the shaft and spring 47. Thus the arm 46 being rigid.

on the shaft has a greater range of movement than the gripper 44 but this difference in the range of movement of lthe arm 46r and the gripper 44 as well as the difference in the range of movement between the gripperV 44 and the gripper 48 is provided for by the spring 47 Iinterposed between the arm 46 and the gripper 44. y

Y If for any reason al sheet is not positioned on the ledgein the initial position of the carriage the grippers will be disposed substantially as shown in Fig. 4,*and,u as heretofore pOinted out, it is desirable to prevent the platen roller from being lowered into operativev position and also' to-prevent feeding unprinted through the machine an address printing device which it is desired to print. To accomplish this Ifprovide a tripper 50 which is rigidly mounted at one end on the shaft 45 (Fig. 6). This tripper is prevented from swinging down and the rocking movement in `one direction of the shaft 45 is limited by the engagement of the gripper 48'with the sheet on the ledge..` Assuming that its lower position because of the absence of a sheet from the ledge (Fig. 6) and the carriage is moved forward from its initial pos/ir tion the iipper end of a rod 52 and push it to left, Fig. 6, untilthe support 53 rigidly sethe tripper has been swung to the 'lug 51 on the tripper will engage.l t e cured on said rod is dislodged from thel lower end of this rocker engages a stop 57 von a rod 58 which is slidably-supported in the frame and dis connected to a rocker 59 (Fig. 1a) pivotally mounted at 5,9 on the p The rocker 59 is connected by a rod 60 (Fig. v7) to a bell crank 61 which is pivoted on the frame at 61 and operates a rod 62 which carries the pin 41. A socket 41 is provided in the frame 9 of the machine to constitute a guide fol` the pin 41 in its movement to and from operative -position in the path of the dog 38. Thus it will be seen that if there is no sheet on the ledge to support the tripper the latter will, on the forward movement of the carriage, engage the rod 52 and through 'the intermediate connection thus described the in 41 willbe withdrawn from the path oft e dog 38 and the platen roller will not to support the rod be thrown down to operative position it beingrreca-lled thatit is the engagement of the dog 38 with pin 41 which causes the platen roller to be lowered from its elevated inoperative position to its operative position at or about the completion of the forward movement of the carriage. Therefore, on the return movement of the carriage the platen will not engage the ribbon. But

when a sheet is properly positioned on .the

ledge the grippers 44 and 48 engaging the sheet will prevent the shaft 45 from rocking to the limit of its movement and will hold the tripper 50 sufficiently elevated to cause the lug 51 to clear rod 52 on the forward m vement of the carriage. n the return movement of the carriage a pin 63 on the tripper (Fig. 6) rides up on an inturned edge 64 of the switch pawl 65 which is ivotally mounted at 65 on a plate 66 which 1s adjustablgy mounted on the frame 9 of the machine. s the pin rides. up on the edge 64 the tripper is lifted to elevated position to clear the rod 52. at -'the completion of the return stroke. When the tripper is thus swung upward it rocks the shaft 45 and opens the grippers 44 and 48 to receive a sheet as the carriage completes its return stroke. But the parts are so adjusted and arranged that the pin 63 willride oft' of the edge 64 ofthe switch pawl as the return stroke is completed andthe trippei` will then swing downward to the position shown in Fig. 6 engaging the grippers with a sheet on the ledge, if a sheet has been so positioned, or with the gripper 44 resting on the ledge and the as shown in Fig. 6, if no sheet is positioned on-the ledge. Fig. 5 shows thetripper rid- 40. ing up on the switch pawl and Fig. 6 shows the trippev in lowered position after the pin 63 has passed beyond the edge' 64 of the switch pawl upon which it rides. On thery forward movement of the carriage the pin pper 48 in lowered position tively insure such movement), and when the rocker 23 then moves to the right, Fig. 2, carrying with it the pawl 69 which is pivoted thereon, a pin 69 on said pawl rldes up on the elevated end of the rocker 68 and disengages the pawl from the block 69 on rocker 20. This will take place when the arm' 19 is in the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, and in this position of the arm 19 the carrier slide is in forward position delivering an address printing device to the anvil 12. In this way the address printing device which was to print on the4 sheet which should have .been carried into prin-tingposition is thus heldin place on the-anvil during that cycle of operation of the platen carriage in which no sheet is arranged in printing position, and the carrier slide will remain in this position until a sheet is grasped by the grippers. .But it is desirable to restore the safety rod 52 to its normal elevated position on the return stroke of the platen carriage and this is accomplished by the roller 70 which is carriedby a link 71 pivoted at 71 on the rocker -23 (Fig. 2). When this rocker moves to the left, in Fig. 2, the roller 7 0 travels over and slightlyl beyond the rocker 68,;l then on the return movement of the rocker 23 the roller l 70 engages the end of the rocker 68 and, be-

from `beingfed unprinted'through the machine because a sheet was'I not properly positioned for printing during a cycle of operation of the platen carriage 1 pivotally conneet thelower end of rod 52 to ya rocker 68 (Fig. 2) which is pivoted on the frame at 68'.,` A p-awl 69 on rocker 23 is normally engaged with a block 69on the rocker 20` so that oscillating movementV from the Larm 22 0 is communicated tothe arm-19'to reciprocate the address printing device carrier.\slide. When the block 53 is dislodged from block 54, as previously described, the rod 52 drops by gravity, swinging the rocker 68 on its pivot (or a spring may be provided to' posi- 68 to swing and return to its normal position as' shown in Fig. 2. But, as before stated,

the arm 19 and .the rocker 20 will remain in ico' the broken l-ine position shown in Fig. 2 and ifno sheet is held by the grippers on thef' next forward movement of the platen carriage, the safety rod 52 will again bedislodged from its elevated vposition andtlm rocker 68 will be swung again and thistime prevent the pawl 69 from engaging the block 69 on rocker 20. p A'gspring 73 is', connected to the rod 58 and to the frame'of the machine, and pulls the rod to theJleft, Figs-3, 6, which swings the rocker 55 (Fig. 6) and pushes against the block 53 to restore it to lts position, resting uponblock 54 when the safety rod 52 is lifted by the swinging of the rocker 68 (Fig. 2) as inst described.

Printing and addressing machines may be provided with safety devices as heretofore described without an automatic selector but it is believed that most machines of this kind will also be provided with automatic means for selecting those address printing devices which are to be printed and skip-ping those .which are not to` be printed. A. particular y form of automatic selector is illustrated in a companion application Serial No. 383,615 filed May 24, 1920, and 'suiiicient of this mechanism is illustrated in this application to showV the general Vcombination and cooperation of the parts.

A selector slide 74 is arranged to slide iso gage the front ed I its tab will have engaged the selector pin in the frame of the machine within the carrier slide 17 and it is provided with a air of pawls 75 which are pivotally mounte tween their ends at 76 on the selector slide. A spring 77 is attached to each pawl and to the frame and normally holds the pawl in operative position as shown in Fig. 2 to enfre of the lowermost printing device 15 in the magazine on the return movement ofthe carrier slide. This movementof the selector slide in en agement with the printing device is only su cient to cause the tab 15 on the printing device to engage the selector pin 78 on the selector frame 79 and swing said frame on its pivot 7 9. When the selector frame is thus swung (to the left, Fig. 2) theA block 8O on the lower end of arm 81 carried by the selector frame .is disengaged from the block 82 on the rocker 83 pivoted at 83 on the machine frame (Fig. 3). A link 84 is pivotally connected at one end to a pin 84 on the rocker 83 and at its other end to one arm 85 of a rocker 85 which is pivotally mounted in the frame. A spring 86 is fastened at one end of the .machine frame and at its other end to a projection 86 from the upperendl of the link 84. A rod 87 is pivotally connected to the other arm 88 of the rocker 85 and is guided in the frame of the machine and has its upper end arranged to engage a fiange 8.9 formed by bending over an edge of the tripper 50. The cross bar 79 on the selector frame is provided with a plurality of openings in whlch the selector pin may be arranged to select for skipping those address printing devices provided with tabs which will engage the pin. At the completion of the return stroke of the platen carriage the lowermost printing device in the stack has been pushed backward, as shown in Fig. 2, and if this printing device is to be skipped and swung the selector frame and disengaged block 80 from block 82, and spring 86 will have swung rocker 83 and rocker 85 and moved rod 87 upward, lifted tripper 50 and rocked gri per shaft 45 and swung the grippers 43 an 48 into the open position shown in Fig. 5. Thus' the machine is setto prevent the grippers from carrying a sheet into printing position on the next forward movement or the" platen carriage, but the printing device feeding means will operate in th usual way and feed the'printing dev vice which operated the selector as just described through the machine without print. mo', Y "w tn arm 90 is provided on the rocker 85 (Fig. 6) and enga es the stop 57 to shift .the rod 58 and wit drawthepin 41 from the path of the dog 38 duringt e preceding skipping operation of the selectorl mecha-4 nism so that the platen roller will be held outof operative position on the return movel printing device to be skipped is resting onA the anvll.

vAn arm 91 is (Fi 3) projectlng in a direction opposite to t e arm 85, and if the lower` end of the link 84 is engaged with the outer end of the arm 91 the selector mechanism will be operated to print instead' of to skip when the tab engages the selector pin and swings the selector frame as previously described. When link 84 is .engaged with arm 85 of the rocker 85 spring 86 willbe tension'ed to overcome the tension of spring 73, because these springs are then operating in opposition, (as shown in the drawings) but w en link .84 is engaged with arm 91 of rocker 85the sprin will then be operating in unison and accor ingly the tension of spring 86 'is reduced, this being accomplished by reason of the fact that the spring 86 is connected to a fixed part of the machine frame at its lower end and to the arm 86 at its upper end. Since this arm 86 is ri 'd with the link 84 and the lower end of 84 is swung to the right Fig. 3 to be engaged with rocker arm 91 it will be readily observed that spring 86 is permitted to contractto reduce its tension. Rod 92 is pivotally connected at its upper end to an arm 93 on the rocker83 (Figs. 2, and at its lower end this' rod carries a a bracket 96 mounted in fixed position on rovidcd on the rocker 85 I ck 94 and is connected by a spring 95' to the shaft 21. A slotted arm 97 is rigid with the rocker 23 and forms a guide for the rod 92. When the rocker 23 swings to the right in Fig. 2 the arm 97 will swing with the rocker far enough to permit the spring to pull the lower end of the rod 92 to the right and on the return movement of the rocker 23, to the left in Fig. 2, the projection 98 on the arm will engage block 94 and depress rod 92 to swing rocker 83 n its pivot until the selector frame is swung back by spring 99 in operative engagement with block 82. Thus the -parts are so arranged and 'timed that the selector mechanism will be reset by the operation of the resettingerod .92 in normal position suiciently beforethe platen carriage reaches the end -of its return movement-to permit .the selector slide dogs to o eritte as reviously described.

The se ectorimec anism is more fully de- -scribed and is claimed inthe companion aplication herein referred to and is setl forth erein to show the combination with the 'safety device. I have found in practical use that this selector mechanism operates satisfactorily for the purposes intended and for reason I now propose to use it in the chine comprises a full forward movement of the platen carriage from the initial position shown in Fig. l and a full return movement of the platen carriage to initial position. During this normal and complete cycle of the operation, the impression platen has an elevated and therifore non-impression position when traveling away from the sheet.

feed'table 40, and thereafter it has a lower and therefore an impression position on its return stroke and when traveling towards the sheet feed table. As the platen carriage approaches initial position the tripper is `its return stroke and, therefore, in the in-l itialj position of the Vplaten carriage under normal operation of the machine the. grippers are gripping the edge of a sheet ready to carry it into printing position. And at this time the platen roller is in elevated postion, as shown in Figs. J=--6, and the selector pawls have moved the lowermost printing device in the stack, which is the device next to be printed, backward as shown in Fig.` 2. If this lowermost printing device is provided with a tab which will engage the selector pin set for skipping, the selector frame wlll, on the return movement of the platen carriage, be swung outward,` to the left in Fig. 2, and the block 80 disengaged from block 82 (Fig. 3) and the spring 86 will have operated the rockers 83 and 85 to lift rod 87 so that the tripper flange 89 will engage therewith and be lifted thereby to rock the shaft and hold the grippers in open position as the platen carriage comes to rest at the end of its return stroke, as shown in Fig. 5. Therefore, if the printing deviceto be fed to printing position on the next lforward stroke of the platen carriage is 4to be skipped, the grippers will be held open, whether or not a sheet is fed into position on thel ledge, so that the grippers will not carry a sheet into printing position when no impression isto be taken. And in such case the platen roller will not be lowered into printing "position at the erid of the forward stroke of the platen carriage' because when the selector mechanism operates as just described the arm 90 on the rock/er` 85 will shift the rod 58 to the right 6) and through its connections with the pin 41 withdraw the pin from the path of the dog 38. On the other hand, if the lower- This takes moist printing device is to be printed in the next cycle of operation of the machine it will not operate the selector mechanism when it is pushed backward (to the left, Fig'. 2) by the selector pawl at the end of the return stroke of the platencarriage and, consequently, the grlppers will be closed on the sheet to carry the sheet into printing position as the printing device is carried into printing position on the forward movement of the platen carriage.

My invention provides safety means of simple construction which operate automatically to insure a systematic operation of the machine and to'take care of any failure in the sheet feed as well as predetermined `skipping in printing the address devices.

If the machine is -used for yaddressing only the invention will operate in the manner hereinbefore described, and the invention may be applied to machines which are intended only for addressing purposes. I use the word sheet,-therefore, in connection with the invention in a broad sense to include envelopes, tags, letter sheets, etc., to be printed.

As before stated, my invention is shown herein ina form which I have selected for embodiment in the printing and addressing machine of the kind, but not necessarily of the particular construction, disclosed in my earlier application, Serial No. 123,233, but I do not wish to be understood as limiting the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed herein and I reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

I cla-im:

l. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form, an impression roller, one of said .elements being movable relative -to the other to obtaink a printing impression,

said roller having a non-impression position and also an impression position, means for feeding a sheet to be printedv into printing position, and safety means for preventing the roller from moving from its non-impression position into its impression position,

`if the feeding means does not feed a sheet to printing position, and safety means for preventing the platen from moving from its non-impression position to its impression position, if the feeding means does not feed a sheet to printing position.

3. In a printing machine, the combination of avprinting form, an impressionplaten 130.

operating ont of impression position on one stroke and in impression position on the other stroke, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position during the stroke of the platenout 'of impression position, and safety means for. holding the platen out of impression position on its other stroke if the feeding means does not feed asheet to printing position.

4. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form, a reciprocating impression platen operating out of impression position on one stroke and in impression position on the other stroke, means for feeding a Sheet to be printed into printing posit-ion /during that stroke of the platen out of impression position, and safety means for holding the platen out of vimpression position 'on its 'other stroke if the feeding means does not feed a sheet to printing osition.

5. llna printing machine, t e combination of a printing form, an impression platen having an impression position and a nonkimpression position, o-ne of said elements plane to make an impression from the form on the other stroke, means for shifting the platen from the upper plane to the impression plane, means for feeding a sheet to b e printed into printing position during that stroke of the platen in its upper plane, and safet means adapted to be operated upon the ailure of the feeding means to feed'a sheet and thereby prevent the shifting means from operating.

7. In a printing machine, the combination of a pintin form, an impression laten, means for shifting the platen to and) from impression position, 4 means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position, and safety means operated by the feeding means for preventing the opera-tion of the shifting means. l 8. I n a printing machine, aprinting form and an impression platen, means for bodily movingnsaid platentowards said form to obtain a printing impression, means for feeding a sheetl into dprinting position, and means preventing sai Vbodily movement of said platen if said feeding means fails -to feed a sheet into printing position.

9. In a printing machine, the combination of a printingl form, an impression platen,

means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, means moving with the platen for feeding a sheet to be printed into Yprinting position,'and safety means operated y the feeding means in the absence of a sheet in the feeding means at the beginning /of the feeding operation to prevent operation of the platen shifting means.

10.- In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form, an impression platen, means for shifting the impression platen to and ,from impression position, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position, and means comprising a tripper operated by the feeding means to prevent operation ofthe shifting means.

11. ln a lprinting machine, the combination of` a printing form, an impression platen, means for shifting the impression platen to and from impression position, and

means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position, and means comprising a pivoted tripper held in .inoperative position when a sheet is engaged with the feeding means and capable of swinging into operative position to prevent the operation of the shifting means when a sheet is not engaged with the feeding means( 12. in a printing machine, the combina- `tion of a printing form, an impression" platen, means forshifting the platen to and ,from impression position, feedingv means comprising members to engage a sheet to feed the sheet into printing position, a pivoted tripper adapted to be held in inopsaid members and capable of swinging into operative position when a sheet is not engaged by sald members, and means operated 'by said trip-per for preventing the operation tion and comprising a relativelyiixed member and a movable member, a pivoted triphper held in inoperative position when a sheet is engaged by said members and capable of swinging into loperative position when .a sheet is not engaged by said member, and means operated by said tripper for prevent ing operation of the shifting means.

14. lIn a printing machine, the 4combination of a printing form, an impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, means for moving with the platen for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position and comprising a relatively fixed member and a movable member to engage the sheet, a pivoted tripper fixed with lrelation tothe platen and erative position when a sheet is engaged byI` held in inoperative position when a sheet u lswinging into operative position when a sheet is not engaged by said members, and

means operated by the tripper for preventing the operation of the shlfting means.

15.` In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form and a relatively movable impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from'impression position,- means for preventing operation of the shifting means and comprising av-pivoted tripper, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position and comprislng a ledge adapted to. receive the sheet thereon, and a finger pivoted Von the tripper pivot and adapted to engage a sheet on the ledge, said finger sustaining the tripper in inoperative position when the finger engages a sheet and -permitting the tripper to swing to operative position when the finger does not engagea sheet, and means adapted t he operated by the tripper for preventing the operation of the shifting means.

16. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form and a relatively movr able impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, a pivoted tripper, means for feedlng a sheet to be printed in to printing position and comprising a member adapted to receive a sheet thereon and having a slot, a finger pivoted on the tripper pivot and adapted to engage the sheet on said member and hold the tripper in, inoperative position, or to engage said slot and permit the tripper to swing into operative position in the absence 'of a sheet on the member, and means adapted to .be operated by said tripper for -preventing the operation. of the shifting means;

17. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form anda relatively movable impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from impression position,

a rock shaft movable with the platen, a tripper mounted on said shaft, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printin position and comprising a relatively fixe member adapted to receive a sheet 'thereon and having a slot therein, and a finger rigid on Said shaft and adapted to engage the sheet on the member and hold the tripper in inoperative position'or to engage said slot and permit the tripper to swing into operative position in the absence of a sheet on said member, and means adapted to be operatedby sald tripper to prevent the operation of said shifting means.

18. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form and a relatively movable impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position and comprising a relatively ,fixed member .adapted to receive a sheet thereon and having a slot therein, a pair of.

movable grippers adapted toengage a sheet Y metaal ing the platen to and from impression position, a rock shaft, a tripper mounted on said shaft, means for feeding the sheet to' be printed into printing position and comprising a relatively fixed member adapted to receive a sheet thereon and having ar sloti therein, a gripper loosely mounted '0nv said Shaft, yielding means rigidly mounted on the shaft for operating said grippe, another gripper rigidly'monnted on saidshaft and adapted to engage a sheet on .said mem-v ber to hold the tripper in inoperative' posi.- tion and to engage said slot in the 'absence of a sheet on the member and permit vthe tripper to swing into operative -pos1tion', and' means adapted to be operatedby tfhe"tripper:l to prevent the operationofy the shifting" means. f y

- 2 0. In a printing machine, the-combination of a printing form and arelatively movable impression platen, means ,forfeeding'a sheet to be printed into printing position and' comprising a relatively fixed member adapted to receive a sheet thereon and having aslot therein, a gripper adapted to engage a sheet on said member or to engage-said slot inthe absence of a sheet on the member, a tripper for moving said gripper to open positlon, and a latch for operating said triper. p 21. In a print-ing machine, the combination of a printing form and a relatively movable impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, feeding means traveling with the platen for feeding a sheet to be,prin.ted into printing position and comprising a movable gripper, a tripper for moving said gripper to open position, a latch device for operating said tripper, and means adapted tov be operated by the tripper when the gripper does not engage a sheet to prevent the operation of said shifting means. l

22. In a printing machine, the. combination of a frame, a printing form,'a reciprocating platen carriage, .a platen, means for shifting the platen into impression position comprising a. dog, a pin on the frame located in the path of the dog to operate said platen shiftin means, means moving with the platen to eed a sheet to be printed into printing position, and means operated by the feeding means to withdraw said pin from the path ofthe dog to prevent the operation ofthe-platergfstifting means.

23. In a irinting machine, the combination of a pllurality of printing devices and an impression platen, means for feeding saidprinting devices one at a time into printing position, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position, and means operated by the sheet feeding means for preventing the feeding of a printing device whenA- the sheet 'feed fails to feed a sheet. f

24. In a printing machine, `the combination of a prirtingfform and an impression platen, means for feeding address printing forms one at a time into printing position, means for feeding a. sheet to I`be printed into printing position, and means operated by the sheet feeding means for preventing the feed of al1-address' form when the sheet feed fails to feed a sheet.

25. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form and an impression platen, means for'feeding address printing forms'one at a time into printing position and comprising a lever arm, means for operating said leverarm,` means for feeding a sheet to be vprinted into printing position, and means fpr disconnecting said lever-arm and its operating means to halt the address form feed when the sheet feed fails to feed a sheet.

platen, means for feeding address printing forms one at a time into printing position and comprising'a lever arm, means for operating said lever arm, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position, and means operated by the sheet feeding means for disconnecting said lever arm and its operating means and preventing the feed of an address form when the sheet feed fails to feed a sheet. Y

27. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form and la movable impression laten, means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, means for feeding address printing forms one at a time into printing position, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position;` andmeans for preventing the platen shifting means and the address form feeding means from operati g when the vsheet feeding means fails to fee a sheet.

28. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form and a movable impression platen, means for shift- `ing the platen to and from impression posi` tion', means for feeding address printing forms one at a time into printing position, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printingposition, and means operated by the sheet feeding means for preventing the platen shifting means and the address form feeding means from operating when the sheet feeding means fails to feed a sheet.

y29. In La printing machine, the combination of a' printing form and a movable impression platen, means vfor shifting the platen to and from impression position, means for feeding address printing forms one at a time into printing position, means for feeding'a Isheet tovbe printed into printing position, means for selecting certain forms tobe skipped, and means for preventing the operation `oflthe platen shifting means when the address form feed is feeding a form to be skipped.

30. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing formand a movable impression' platen, 'means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, means for feeding address printing forms one' at a' time into printing position, vmeans for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position, means for selecting certain4 forms to be skipped, and means for preventing the paper feedfrom feeding a sheet and the platen shifting means from operating Ywhen the, address form feed is feeding a form to be skipped.

31. In a printing machine, the combinationof a printing form and a movable impression platen, means for feeding address printing forms one at a time into printingl position, means for selecting certain address lforms to be skipped, and means operated by the selector means for preventing the paper feed from feeding a sheet and the platen shifting means from operating when the admeans for feeding address printing forms one at a time into printing position, Ingans for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position, means for selecting certainl forms tov be skipped, and means operated by the selector means for preventing the operation of the platen shifting means when the address form feed is feeding a form to be skipped.

33. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form and a movable impression platen, means for shiftin the platen `to and from impression posltion, means for feeding address printing forms one at a time into printing position, vmeans for feeding a sheet to be printed into printingA position, means for selecting certain forms to be skipped, and means operated by the selector means for preventing the paper yfeed from feedingv a sheet and the platen shifting means from operatingwhen the address frm feed is feeding a form to be skipped.

34. In a printing machine, the combinav tionI of a printingform and a movable -imdress form feed is feeding a l:form to be A100 Y pressionsplaten, means for feeding address printing forms one at a 'time into printing position, means for feeding a sheet to be printed into printing position'and comprisl ing a gripper to engage the sheet, and means feeding an address form to be skipped.

36. In a printing machine, the combination of a printing form and a movable impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from impressio-n position, means for feeding' address forms one at a time into printing position, means for selecting lcertain address forms to be skipped,

, means for feedinga sheet to be printed into printing position and comprising a gripper to engage the sheet and adapted to operate the platen shifting means, and means for holding said gripper inoperative when the address orm feed fails to feed an address form or when it is feeding `a form to beskipped.y

3 In a' printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form and a relatively movable impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from'impression position` means for feeding chan eable printing forms one at a time into printing position, means for selecting certain o-f said changeable forms 'tobe skipped and others to be printed, and means operated by said selector means to prevent the platen from being shifted into printing position When the changeable printing form in printing position is to be skipped.

38. In a printing machine, the combination of a stationary printing form and a relatively movable impression platen, means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, means for feeding `changeable printing forms one at a time into printing position, means for selecting certain of said changeable forms to be skipped and others to be printed, means connecting 'said selector means with said platen shifting means to prevent the platen from being shifted into printing position when the changeable printing fo-rm in printing position is to be skipped, said connecting means comprising rintino` forms one at a time into rintinnr y t3 b position, means for selecting certain of said changeable forms to be skipped and/others vto be printed, means connectingsaid selector means with said platen shifting means to prevent the platen from being shifted into printing position when thechangeable printing form in printing position is to be skipped, said connecting means comprising a rocker having oppositely disposed arms, and a link adapted to be 4connected with one `or the other of said arms to control 'the operation of the platen shifting means.

40. In a printingfmachine, the co-mbination of' a stationary printing form and a relatively movable impression platen means for shifting the platen to and from impression position, means for feeding changeable printing forms one at a time into printing position, means for selecting certain of said changeable forms to be skipped and others to be printed, means connecting said selector means With said platen shifting means to. l

prevent the platen from being shifted into printing position When'the changeable printing form in printing position is to'l be skipped, said connecting means comprising a rocker, `and an army normally engaging said rocker and adapted to be disengaged through the medium of a changeable print- Y ing rm, to control the operation of said platen shifting means.

41. In a printing machine, a printing form, ein/impression platen having mvement in two planes, movement in one of said planes bringing said platen into impression position, means for feeding a sheet into printing position and means preventing said movement of the laten into impression position if said fee ing means fails to feedl a sheet into printing position.

JOSEPH SQ DUNCAN. 

